"To love is to suffer. To avoid suffering one must not love. But then
one suffers from not loving. Therefore to love is to suffer, not to love
is to suffer. To suffer is to suffer. To be happy is to love. To be
happy then is to suffer. But suffering makes one unhappy. Therefore, to
be unhappy one must love, or love to suffer, or suffer from too much
happiness. I hope you're getting this down."

In my experience love is thinking about someone a lot, missing them when they're not there, wanting to spend as much time together as possible and finding them incredibly attractive! And these feelings being very healthy and hopefully reciprocated. Obsession is very similar feelings but in a very unhealthy way - and most likely NOT reciprocated!! That's just my opinion!

Ok, here goes, this is when I sound like a stalker - haha! I feel like I was obsessed with my ex but not really in love, even though it felt like it at the time and it hurt when we broke up. My current relationship feels very different, more special....

Anyway, it's still early days...I just thought I'd like to know when I'm falling for them....

You have increased levels of b-phenylethylamine norepinephrine in your bloodstream. This breaks down certain types of sugars which give the body a boost of energy - that sort of 'butterflies in your stomach' feeling is partly due to this active breakdown. As all of this is happening b-PEA norepinephrine binds to liver cells and signals a cascade that results in general good feelings.
After that, dopamine, norepinephrine and seratonin take over and drive the 'long term' feelings of love that make you start building nests and reading MumsNet.

When you have been through thick and thin, even got divorced, but still care for one another...
that was love.
And when you are happy that the other is now happy without you - that was love.
And when you know no matter what, that person is still there for you - that is love.